Georgians could travel to EU visa-free earlier than expected

Citizens of Georgia are "very, very close” to visa-free travel to the European Union (EU).

Statements about Georgia’s ever-closer visa waiver to the EU were made by EU top officials in Brussels yesterday.

"The European Commission is preparing to send a legal statement to the European Parliament and [EU] member states. The final decision over Georgia’s visa-free travel to Europe should be made by the European Council and the European Parliament,” EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos told media last night.

Avramopoulos spoke at a joint press conference together with Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. He joined the press conference specifically to speak about the visa liberalisation process as it was "of great importance for the country”.

Asked by a Georgian journalist when the Commission’s legislative proposal for the visa waiver would be ready, Avramopoulos smiled and said: "You have been waiting for so many years, now you can wait for one or two months.”

Asked by the same journalist whether or not this would happen in summer, as earlier stated, Avramopoulos replied: "Maybe earlier, maybe around summer… but within the next few months.”

"It might happen in summer, or even earlier,” Avramopoulos said.

Commissioner Hahn also approved Georgia’s successful implementation of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP) and said Georgia "was one of the leader states of the Eastern Partnership initiative”.

Georgian Prime Minister Kvirikashvili also added that "timely completion of the visa liberalisation process was one of the key issues for the Georgian Government”.

After the press conference Hahn tweeted: "We will put forward [a] legislative proposal [for Georgia’s visa liberalisation] very soon. Georgia fulfilled all benchmarks and worked hard for this progress.”

Reg.#Visaliberalisation we will put fw. #legislative proposals very soon. #Georgia fulfilled all benchmarks+worked hard f. this progress 3/3

— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) February 9, 2016

#MemberStates and #EP will finally have to decide. @EU_Commission will continue its support for well-deserved progress. 3/3

— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) February 9, 2016

Hahn also spoke of how the EU could offer future support to Georgia as it continued on its path towards the EU.

The #EU acknowledges the efforts #Georgia has made w. Association Agreement and we trust that #Georgia will keep up its good performance.2/3

— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) February 9, 2016

Kvirikashvili and the two EU Commissioners said they discussed the Georgia-EU Association Agreement (AA) and the economic benefits provided by the deal.

"Lately our trade relations with the EU have become more intense, as well as the inflow of foreign investments to Georgia. We are ready to fully use our free trade potential with the EU. This is a priority for us. We are ready to continue reforms in this direction,” Georgia’s Prime Minister said.

Kvirikashvili added he "looked forward” to continuing dialogue with the EU in order to define new areas for deeper cooperation under the revised ENP (European Neighbourhood Policy), which will contribute to accelerating Georgia's progressive integration with the EU.

High standards on stakeholders' inclusion, free media & rule of law are key in election year https://t.co/iPLKU0bEaj#Visa4Georgia@JHahnEU

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) February 9, 2016

Kvirikashvili said the Georgian Government would ensure the country’s Parliamentary Elections would be held later this year in a transparent and free environment. He added there would be media freedom and his country would continue working on the judicial reform and engagement of civil society in some decision-making processes.